At Argonne National Labs, the pursuit of greater compatibility between DC fast charger EVSE and EVs connected some dots between industry standards and industry stalwarts. America’s first national lab, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), has always been steeped in the purpose of discovering and developing sustainable energy sources for promoting national security and prosperity. While the… Read more »
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Oregon explores replacing gas tax with per-mile road tax
US drivers are using less fossil fuel, a trend that’s certain to continue, as fuel-economy standards get stricter and plug-in sales grow. That’s a good thing. However, road maintenance is funded by gas taxes, and less fuel burned means less tax revenue. That’s a bad thing. “Fuel efficiency is getting better and better, which is… Read more »
Siemens saves weight and space with integrated motor and inverter
Screw it in and drive Among the companies pushing the boundaries of packaging efficiency is the German engineering colossus Siemens. The company has developed an integrated motor and inverter contained in a single housing, the Siemens Sivetec MSA 3300. The new drive unit reduces weight, frees up six to seven liters of additional space, lowers… Read more »
Chevy Volts recalled over idling problem
With new technology come new and unforeseen problems. Apparently, some Volt drivers, lulled into absent-mindedness by the plug-in hybrid’s silent running, forget to shut the car off. This drains the battery, causing the gasoline engine to turn on and possibly leading to dangerous carbon monoxide buildup. General Motors is recalling about 64,000 Volts from the… Read more »
UK government to invest £32 million in EV infrastructure, £11 million in R&D
The UK government has announced £32 million ($49 million) in new funding for EV infrastructure, to support “the fast-growing popularity of plug-in vehicles.” The announcement noted that claims for government grants to plug-in buyers increased fourfold in 2014. The new pot of money, which will be invested between now and 2020, includes: £15 million to… Read more »
Fisker to be renamed Elux, relaunch the Karma by mid-2016
Fisker Automotive will be renamed Elux, unnamed sources have told Reuters. The company, now owned by the Wanxiang Group, plans to relaunch the Karma PHEV sports car in mid-2016. The Elux Karma is expected to be strongly based on Henrik Fisker’s original Karma design. It will not be assembled in Finland, the sources said, but… Read more »
Polypore separates itself and sells two main elements for $3.2 billion
Polypore, the maker of battery separators and microporous membranes, is to be split in two and sold. The company announced that 3M will acquire the assets of Polypore’s Separations Media segment for about $1 billion, and Asahi Kasei will purchase the rest of the company for $60.50 per share. This represents an enterprise value for… Read more »
Tesla’s next competitor might not need to build a single car
These days, the media insists on describing every future plug-in vehicle as a “Tesla competitor.” The latest putative challenger is not an automaker at all, but Apple, a company that has a lot in common with our favorite EV maker (including about 150 former employees). Reports that Apple has been bulking up on battery expertise… Read more »
Mahindra to sell its Reva e20 EV in Europe
Indian automaker Mahindra Reva has announced plans to start selling its tiny Reva e20 EV in Europe by the end of the summer. Since the giant conglomerate Mahindra bought the Reva Electric Car Company in 2010, the company has become India’s leading EV developer. “The way electric vehicle technology is growing in Europe, we expect… Read more »
Volkswagen plans $10 million investment in EV infrastructure, calls on governments to do more
Joerg Sommer, VP of Product Marketing and Strategy at Volkswagen of America, announced plans to invest $10 million in EV charging infrastructure by 2016. Speaking at the Electric Drive Transportation Association’s annual conference, Sommer said the investments VW and other companies are making in EVSE should be matched by additional governmental support. “Automakers have effectively… Read more »